THE COOKERY OF THE RABBIT 239 



to the e?it?'ec's, but in the due order of things we must 

 turn back to the soups. For nothing does the rabbit 

 come in more usefully than for mulligatawny : when 

 that soup is most in request in cool weather, the 

 rabbit is in his best condition ; there is as little 

 reason to be frugal with him as with the Ettrick 

 Shepherd's hare soup, and his recipe, if we remem- 

 ber aright, was a half-dozen of hares to the tureen. 



Break up sundry rabbits and boil in three quarts 

 of water with a quarter-ounce of black pepper. Be 

 sure to add a slice or two of bacon. Skim the stock 

 when it boils, and let it simmer for an hour and a 

 half before straining. Fry some of the choice morsels 

 of the rabbit with sliced onions in a stewpan ; add 

 the strained stock, skim, and, when it has simmered 

 for three-quarters of an hour, throw in two dessert 

 spoonfuls of curry powder, the same quantity of 

 lightly browned flour, with salt and cayenne, and let it 

 simmer again till the meat is thoroughly tender. A 

 clove or two of garlic, shred and fried in butter, 

 with a dash of lemon to taste, are decided improve- 

 ments. 



N.B. Half the secret and charm of good mulli- 

 gatawny is in the successful boihng of the rice, which 

 ought to fall light and white and dry, like snow- 

 flakes in frost or manna in the wilderness. The rice 



